Sixty years after the release of the film adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a new exhibit at the Gadsden Museum of Art examines the character of Atticus Finch in an exploration of the complexities of hero worship and human relations.
The exhibit, running through Aug. 26, was developed by Tyler Jones, Fen Kennedy, Todd Slaughter and Melissa Yes. Titled “Finches,” the interactive exhibit combines film with objects and artifacts from the Monroe County Heritage Museum. It also showcases quotes from Alabama native Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel from 1960 and her book “Go Set a Watchman,” discovered and released in 2015. Considered an early draft of Lee’s most famous work, “Go Set a Watchman” portrays a more complicated Atticus Finch than the endearing character crafted in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
According to a description of the exhibit by the artists, “Finches uses Harper Lee’s character … as an opening to conversations about the complicated figures – the Finches – in personal and civic life.
“The project explores the tension created when we are conflicted about something we love, whether that is a family member, a leader, or a place.”
Learn more about the exhibit, the plans for it to grow and evolve, and how it reflects on issues that all people face, in this video conversation with Jones. You can also find more information about the exhibit at the Gadsden Museum of Art website.
